Joanna
Girl name · #306 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Joanna? In official American birth records, Joanna has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 997 baby girls were named Joanna, placing it at #306 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #305, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,805 girls born in 2025 was named Joanna.
Babies named Joanna per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Joanna first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 26 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1984, when 3,332 girls were named Joanna — good for #88 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Joanna against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Joanna in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Joanna is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Joanna is most common
Geography matters for names, and Joanna is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Joanna is most common in NE (1.6 per 1,000), OR (1.1 per 1,000), OH (1.1 per 1,000), OK (1.1 per 1,000), VA (1.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.8 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Joanna is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Joanna
Statistically, parents drawn to Joanna tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Johanna, Jenna, Leanna, Nina, and Andrea.
JohannaJennaLeannaNinaAndreaAliciaVanessaSabrina
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Joanna | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 997 | #306 |
| 2024 | 945 | #329 |
| 2023 | 918 | #339 |
| 2022 | 1,002 | #321 |
| 2021 | 1,101 | #290 |
| 2020 | 1,176 | #256 |
| 2019 | 1,281 | #254 |
| 2018 | 1,454 | #213 |
| 2017 | 1,352 | #234 |
| 2016 | 1,274 | #247 |
| 2015 | 1,065 | #305 |
| 2014 | 1,022 | #324 |
| 2013 | 945 | #342 |
| 2012 | 974 | #323 |
| 2011 | 976 | #323 |
| 2010 | 1,066 | #305 |
| 2009 | 1,106 | #301 |
| 2008 | 1,194 | #283 |
| 2007 | 1,392 | #252 |
| 2006 | 1,289 | #256 |
| 2005 | 1,167 | #284 |
| 2004 | 1,280 | #251 |
| 2003 | 1,303 | #251 |
| 2002 | 1,335 | #239 |
| 2001 | 1,555 | #206 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Joanna?
In official American birth records, the name Joanna first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 26 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Joanna a popular girl name?
Joanna ranked #306 among girls in 2025 with 997 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #305.
When was the name Joanna most popular?
Joanna peaked in 1984, when 3,332 American girls received the name (ranked #88 that year). Since 1984 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Joanna?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,805 newborn American girls was named Joanna. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.